SMOKING REGULATIONS CLARIFIED BY HEALTH DEPARTMENT

(12/01/2009)

The Mid-Ohio Valley Board of Health, in a unanimous vote, has clarified two areas of the clean indoor air regulations. A vagueness in the regulations of "enclosed area" and wording of the designated smoking area have been unclear. It has allowed several video lottery rooms in the area to create "indoor smoking rooms". The changes are as follows: Enclosed area is defined as any area with a roof or other overhead covering of any kind and walls or side coverings of any kind, regardless of the presence of openings for ingress and egress, on more than two sides. Designated smoking areas shall occur at a reasonable distance of fifteen feet or more from any building or enclosed area where smoking is prohibited to insure that tobacco smoke does not enter the area through entrances, windows, ventilation systems or any other means. This shall include fresh air intakes for the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems of any building. The board voted and approved a grace period to phase out existing "indoor smoking rooms". Effective October 1, 2010 there will no longer be any smoking areas authorized that do not comply with the Clean Indoor Air regulation. That includes outside smoking rooms that have walls and a roof. Smoking rooms that have only two walls will still be allowed.

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